Kidnap accused questioned over murders

Police are questioning a man who allegedly kept a girl imprisoned as a sex slave over the murders of up to 10 other women.

Phillip Garrido is being held for the alleged kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard, who had been living in Garrido's backyard in California for 18 years.

The investigations, which include the cases of three missing prostitutes and a 15-year-old girl, were revived after last week's discovery of a hidden compound in the sex offender's backyard.

Police extended searches to include a neighbour's property where Garrido, 58, acted as caretaker.

Officers used metal detecting equipment, cut back branches and dug holes, and cadaver dogs were used to search for bodies.

Police are questioning Garrido over the death of 15-year-old Lisa Norrell, whose body was discovered in 1998 dumped in an industrial area close to Garrido's workplace.

A police spokesman said, "Unfortunately there is a larger story to it that we can't go into it right now".

Lisa Norrell's mother Minnie said she had been visited by police following Garrido's arrest and was told police were trying to establish a link between her daughter's murder and the kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard.

Other cases revived after Garrido's capture include the deaths of three women found beaten, strangled or stabbed to death in the same area in 1998 and 1999.

Jessica Frederick, 24, was found on December 5. She died of multiple cut and stab wounds.

Rachael Cruise, 32, was found on December 15 — she died of asphyxia and strangulation.

A coroner's report into her death suggested that her body had been dragged along the road.

Valerie Dawn Schultz, 27, who was found on January 8, died of multiple stab wounds and strangulation.

All three were prostitutes.

Seven other prostitutes were killed in the area in the 1990s, and their deaths are also being revisited.

Contra Costa County police spokesman, Jimmy Lee confirmed that the expanded search would encompass these unsolved murders and Garrido was being questioned as to his role.

Ms Dugard, now 29, was reunited with her mother and sister last Thursday.